Abstract: Compositions and methods of making ceramic plates are described. The compositions are water-based slurries that include filler material, one or more clay components, one or more strength or processing additives, and/or a carbon source. The filler material can include a first grade of boron carbide having a relatively large average particle size, a second grade of boron carbide having an intermediate average particle size, a third grade of boron carbide having a fine average particle size, and/or a silicon carbide having a fine average particle size. The methods of the invention involve casting and drying the slurry to make a substantially dry preform, providing a silicon loaf having a solid form for supporting one or more preforms, placing the substantially dry preform on top of the silicon loaf inside of an infiltration furnace and heating the substantially dry preform and loaf to melt silicon within the loaf and infiltrate the perform to create a ceramic plate.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is to provide an economical production technology for obtaining a dense boron carbide ceramic product without impairment to excellent mechanical properties, which boron carbide ceramics are inherently equipped with, by conducting heating under normal pressure without application of pressure and without needing addition of a large amount of a sintering additive to a raw material or needing any special additive or treatment. The present invention provides a production process in which, upon heating a boron carbide green body under normal pressure without application of pressure after pressing a boron carbide powder material to obtain the boron carbide green body, the boron carbide green body is heated with one of a powder, green body or sintered body, which contains at least one of aluminum and silicon, being disposed in a furnace.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a first seal member having a first surface, a second seal member having a second surface, with the second surface configured to generally abut at least a part of the first surface. At least a portion of at least one of the first surface and the second surface includes a coating that includes about 30 to about 80 weight percent of a hard carbide material, and about 20 to about 70 weight percent of lubricating material incorporated with the hard carbide material. The coating defines overlapping lenticular particles.

Abstract: The present invention includes a matrix powder system comprising one or more polycrystalline carbides, binderless carbides, or a combination thereof, a composite comprising the matrix powder system and a metal bond phase, a matrix bit body for a drill bit for oil and gas drilling made of this composite material, and a drill bit for oil and gas drilling comprising the matrix bit body and at least one cutter. The polycrystalline and/or binderless carbides may comprise carbides of W, Ti, V, Cr, Nb, Mo, Ta, Hf, Zr, or a combination thereof. The binderless carbides have less than 3 wt. % binder and the binderless and/or polycrystalline carbides may have a grain size of ?15 ?m and a hardness of ?1900 HV (0.5 kgf). Additional ceramic components and/or metals may also be present in the matrix powder system. Alternatively, the composite material may be present on only a portion of the matrix bit body surface.

Abstract: A cutting template or a cutting block, preferably to a cutting template or a cutting block for use in medical technology.

Abstract: A tungsten carbide material for use in precision glass molding applications having 6.06-6.13 wt. % carbon, 0.20-0.55 wt. % grain growth inhibitor, less than 0.25 wt. % binder, less than 0.6% wt. % impurities, and balance being tungsten. The tungsten carbide material has a nominal grain size of less than 0.5 microns.

Abstract: An object is to provide a sintered body causing less chipping and having a sufficiently higher polishing rate than a conventional AlTiC sintered body, and providing a sufficiently smooth air bearing surface. The sintered body according to the present invention consists of Al2O3, a compound represented by the chemical formula (1) below, and a composite oxide containing Al and Ti, TiCxOy??(1) wherein x+y?1, x>0 and y>0.

Abstract: A ceramic sintered body contains Al2O3 crystal grains, internal TiC crystal grains existing in the Al2O3 crystal grains and external TiC crystal grains other than the internal TiC crystal grains. The Al2O3 crystal grains and the external TiC crystal grains retain stress caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficient remaining after sintering, so that the Al2O3 crystal grains and the external TiC crystal grains pull each other in the interface therebetween. As a result, when the ceramic sintered body is machined, micro-cracks generated in the interface can easily grow due to the residual stress in addition to the shearing force caused by the machining operation, so that machinability is improved.

Abstract: Disclosed is a highly-pure fine titanium carbide powder having a maximum particle size of 100 nm or less and containing metals except titanium in an amount of 0.05 wt % or less and free carbon in an amount of 0.5 wt % or less. The powder has a NaCl-type crystal structure, and a composition represented by TiCxOyNz, wherein X, Y and Z satisfy the relations: 0.5?X?1.0; 0?Y?0.3; 0?Z?0.2; and 0.5?X+Y+Z?1.0.) The powder is produced by: dissolving an organic substance serving as a carbon source in a solvent to prepare a liquid, wherein the organic substance contains at least one OH or COOH group which is a functional group coordinatable to titanium of titanium alkoxide, and no element except C, H, N and O; mixing titanium alkoxide with the liquid to satisfy the following relation: 0.7???1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a metal matrix ceramic composite (MMCC) wear-parts comprising a wearing portion formed by a ceramic cake and is impregnated by metal. The ceramic cake comprises ceramic grains and carbide grains. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the wear-parts. The invention further describes a grinding roll and a table liner for a vertical mill each comprising a metal matrix ceramic composite wear part(s) of the invention.

Abstract: A hardfacing composition comprising a carbide phase and a matrix phase, The carbide phase comprises mono-tungsten carbide in a quantity of greater than 50 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the carbide phase. The matrix phase comprises iron and nickel. The nickel is present in a quantity in the range of from 0.5 to 20 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the matrix phase. Also included are methods of applying such hardfacing compositions to a downhole tool and downhole tools having such hardfacing compositions applied thereon.

Abstract: The application relates to a reactive ceramic binder suitable for producing ceramic products from ceramic powder, characterized in that the reactive ceramic binder represents hydroxyl compounds which carry reactive silyl groups and can be additionally (poly)siloxane-substituted.

Abstract: Ceramic nanocomposite and methods for manufacturing thereof. One method comprising: receiving a fired green ceramic body comprising ceramic matrix; introducing to the fired green ceramic body submicron particles; and introducing at least one type of location-controlling dopant at an amount that is sufficient to cover the majority of the ceramic matrix grain boundaries, as well as the majority of the interfaces between the submicron particles and the ceramic matrix grains but less than an amount that would result in a concentration that exceeds the bulk solubility limit of the location-controlling dopant ions in the ceramic matrix, at the ceramic nanocomposite sintering temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic product, manufactured from a mixture made of natural and/or synthetic inorganic non-metal raw materials, at least one binder and optionally further additives. In order to provide ceramic products allowing for disadvantages known from the prior art to be eliminated, at least with respect to corrosion and erosion, it is proposed that the ceramic products are manufactured from a mixture comprising a) at least 10% by weight (based on the weight of all solids of the mixture) oxidic components, b) 0.05 to 2.7% by weight (based on the weight of all solids of the mixture) at least one organic-based binder, acting as a solubilizer in the mixture, and c) 3 to 10% by weight (based on the weight of all solids of the mixtures) hydrous dispersing agent, and that the ceramic product contains less than 0.1% by weight (based on the total weight of the ceramic product) of carbon after the use thereof at temperatures above 600° C.

Abstract: The composite sintered body of the invention is a composite sintered body, containing 20 volume % or more and 80 volume % or less of cubic boron nitride particles, and a binder; wherein the binder contains at least one selected from the group consisting of nitrides, carbides, borides, and oxides of elements in the group 4a, elements in the group 5a, and elements in the group 6a in the periodic table, and solid solutions thereof, at least one selected from the group consisting of simple substances of Zr, Si, Hf, Ge, W and Co, compounds thereof, and solid solutions thereof, and a compound of Al; and when the composite sintered body contains therein W and/or Co, the total weight of the W and/or Co is less than 2.0 weight % and further the composite sintered body contains therein one or more of the Zr, Si, Hf and Ge (hereinafter referred to as “X”), and when the composite sintered body contains the X, the amount of each of the X is 0.005 weight % or more and less than 2.0 weight %, X/(X+W+Co) is 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a slurry for preparing boron nitride aggregates of spherical geometry, comprising: 3 wt %˜25 wt % of boron nitride; 1 wt %˜25 wt % of a nano-ceramic material; and a solvent as a complement to 100 wt %. In comparison with conventional preparation methods, preparation of boron nitride aggregates of spherical geometry at relatively low temperature can be achieved by using the slurry. Therefore, the demands of energy conservation and low cost are fulfilled. Besides, the present invention also provides a method for preparing boron nitride aggregates of spherical geometry.

Abstract: An object is to provide a sintered body having a sufficiently higher polishing rate than a conventional AlTiC sintered body and providing a sufficiently smooth air bearing surface. The sintered body according to the present invention consists of Al2O3 and a compound represented by the chemical formula (1) below: TiCxOy??(1) wherein x+y?1, x>0 and 0.3<y?0.6.

Abstract: A method for making a ceramic body, the method including: mixing inorganic ceramic-forming ingredients to form a batch; adding a rapidly hydratable cellulosic binder and a liquid vehicle to the batch and further mixing to form a plasticized mixture; extruding the plasticized mixture to form a green body. The green body can then be heated sufficiently to produce a predominant ceramic phase, thereby transforming the green body into the ceramic body.

Abstract: A solid solution-based optical material capable of transmitting infrared light, the solid solution-based optical material comprising at least two nano-sized phases intermixed in one another, wherein at least one of the at least two nano-sized phases is a solid solution containing a dissolved dopant, the dissolved dopant present in an amount sufficient to reduce a refractive index difference between the at least two nano-sized phases to about 0.2 or less when infrared light is being transmitted. Various embodiments are directed to related systems and methods. In one embodiment, the infrared light is visible infrared light, short-wave infrared light, eye safe infrared light, medium wave infrared light, long wave infrared red light, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A hardfacing composition (32) that includes a plurality of hard particles (54) wherein the hard particles (54) include a mode particle size distribution, one particle size distribution smaller than the mode particle size distribution, and an other particle size distribution larger than the mode particle size distribution. There is an absence of any substantial fluctuations in the particle size distribution between the mode particle size distribution and the one particle size distribution. There is an absence of any substantial fluctuations in the particle size distribution between the mode particle size distribution and the other particle size distribution.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carbonaceous refractory, and a method of production of the same, which prevents a drop in the molten pig iron corrosion resistance, molten pig iron penetration resistance, and other properties of carbonaceous refractories required for blast furnace bottom refractories and, further, raises the mechanical strength of the refractories so as to suppress cracking due to thermal stress, that is, a carbonaceous refractory characterized by comprising a carbonaceous material comprised of one or more of calcined anthracite, calcined coke, natural graphite, or artificial graphite in 60 to 85 mass %, a refractory metal oxide in 5 to 15 mass %, metal silicon in 4 to 15 mass %, and carbon black in 2 to 10 mass % and by being obtained by adding an organic binder to refractory materials made a total 100 mass %, kneading the materials, then molding them and firing them in a nonoxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: A cemented carbide insert, including an upper side, an under side, a plurality of side surfaces extending between the upper side and the underside, and an inset including a cutting edge. The cutting edge includes a nose edge and two main edges converging toward the nose edge. The inset is formed of a material that is harder than the cemented carbide, and is countersunk in the surrounding cemented carbide and co-ground with the surrounding cemented carbide. The inset is arranged in a front, wedge-shaped head delimited by one chip surface and two clearance surfaces running along the main edges. The inset transforms into an adjacent body part via limiting surfaces situated inside imaginary planes in the extension of the chip surface and the clearance surfaces.

Abstract: Methods of forming at least a portion of an earth-boring tool include providing particulate matter comprising a hard material in a mold cavity, melting a metal and the hard material to form a molten composition comprising a eutectic or near-eutectic composition of the metal and the hard material, casting the molten composition to form the at least a portion of an earth-boring tool within the mold cavity, and providing an inoculant within the mold cavity. Methods of forming a roller cone of an earth-boring rotary drill bit comprise forming a molten composition, casting the molten composition within a mold cavity, solidifying the molten composition to form the roller cone, and controlling grain growth using an inoculant as the molten composition solidifies. Articles comprising components of earth-boring tools are fabricated using such methods.

Abstract: A ceramic material having a high toughness can include carbon and a transition metal. The transition metal can have an elemental body centered cubic structure at room temperature. A substantial amount of the ceramic can be of a rhombohedral ? phase of the transition metal and carbon. These materials can have a high thermal shock resistance, high fracture toughness, and good high temperature performance. A particulate mixture of a carbon source and a transition metal source can be assembled (12) and reacted (14) under high pressure and high temperature. The transition metal source can include a transition metal of a metal which has an elemental BCC structure at room temperature. The particulate mixture carbon to transition metal ratio is chosen so as to achieve a zeta phase carbide and processing is affected in order to retain the zeta phase at a substantial weight percent of the material (i.e. greater than about 5 wt %).

Abstract: Methods of forming at least a portion of an earth-boring tool include providing at least one insert in a mold cavity, providing particulate matter in the mold cavity, melting a metal and the hard material to form a molten composition, and casting the molten composition. Other methods include coating at least one surface of a mold cavity with a coating material having a composition differing from a composition of the mold, melting a metal and a hard material to form a molten composition, and casting the molten composition. Articles comprising at least a portion of an earth-boring tool include at least one insert and a solidified eutectic or near-eutectic composition including a metal phase and a hard material phase. Other articles include a solidified eutectic or near-eutectic composition including a metal phase and a hard material phase and a coating material in contact with the solidified eutectic or near-eutectic composition.

Abstract: Ceramics are made of preceramic paper or board structures in a particular shape previously represented in a paper structure, in which the preceramic papers or boards have a content of ceramic fillers between 30 and 95 wt-%, with the ceramic fillers having a particle size <30 ?m. A method for manufacturing such ceramics and the use thereof are also provided.

Abstract: A composition for extrusion-molded bodies which comprises a) an inorganic material that sets as a result of baking or sintering, and b) a methylhydroxyethyl cellulose having a DS(methyl) of from 0.8 to 2.5, an MS(hydroxyethyl) of from 0.20 to 1.20 and a sum of the DS(methyl) and the MS(hydroxyethyl) of at least 2.00 is useful for producing extrusion-molded bodies for use as a carrier for a catalyst, a catalyst, a heat exchanger, or a filter.

Abstract: This invention is related to a powder of a transition metal dissolved tungsten alloy carbide which comprises a transition metal element forcibly dissolved as a solid solution which represented by Formula [1] of M-W—C wherein M is one or more of Co, Fe, Ni and Mn and its tungsten alloy carbide diffused cemented carbide. The diffused cemented carbide is compatible with the conventional tungsten carbide diffused cemented carbide and comprises a binder metal and a tungsten alloy carbide which is provided with a solid solution phase of at least one transition metal element selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron, nickel and manganese, included in a tungsten carbide skeleton, which exhibits a peak derived from a bcc tungsten phase in an X-ray diffraction diagram.

Abstract: An improved aluminum-boron carbide (ABC) composite has been discovered that is comprised of a continuous network of AlB24C4 and boron carbide grains having therein other isolated aluminum-boron carbide reactive phases and at most 2% by volume of isolated metal. The improved ABC composite may be formed by forming boron carbide particulates into a porous body that has a porosity of at most about 35%, where the boron particulates have been heat treated to a temperature of 1200° C. to 1800° C., infiltrating the porous body with aluminum or aluminum alloy until an infiltrated aluminum-boron carbide body is formed that has at most about 1% porosity, heat treating the infiltrated body for at least 25 hours at 1000° C. to 1100° C. to form an aluminum boron carbide composite having a continuous network of AlB24C4 and boron carbide, and subsequently heat-treating to 700° C. to 900° C. to form the improved aluminum boron carbide composite.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hard-metal comprising at least 13 volume % of a metal carbide selected from the group consisting of TiC, VC, ZrC, NbC, MoC, HfC, TaCl WC or a combination thereof, a binder phase comprising one or more of iron-group metals or alloy thereof and 0.1 to 10 weight % Si and 0.1 to 10 weight % Cr and having a liquidus temperature at 1280 degrees C. or lower and 3 to 39 volume % of diamond or cBN grains coated with a protective coating or a mixture thereof and a process for making the hard-metal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fine grained WC-Co cemented carbide. By adding an extremely small amount of Ti, V, Zr, Ta or Nb alone or in combinations, a grain refined cemented carbide structure with less abnormal WC-grains has been obtained.

Abstract: A coating suitable for use as a wear-resistant coating for a gas turbine engine component comprises a lubricating material and a hard carbide material.

Abstract: In a method of preparing a boron carbide material, boron carbide powder is washed with essentially pure water at an elevated temperature to generate washed boron carbide powder. The washed boron carbide powder is combined with a sintering aid. The mixture of the boron carbide powder and the sintering aid is pressed to form a shaped material, and the shaped material is sintered. A sintered boron carbide material comprises a boron carbide component that includes boron carbide, elemental carbon, and not more than about 0.6 wt % of oxygen on the basis of the total weight of the boron carbide component. The sintered boron carbide material has a density of at least about 99% of the theoretical density. Another sintered boron carbide material comprises a boron carbide component that includes boron carbide, silicon carbide, elemental carbon, and not more than about 0.3 wt % oxygen on the basis of the total weight of the boron carbide component, and has a density of at least about 97% of the theoretical density.

Abstract: Disclosed is a highly-pure fine titanium carbide powder having a maximum particle size of 100 nm or less and containing metals except titanium in an amount of 0.05 wt % or less and free carbon in an amount of 0.5 wt % or less. The powder has a NaCl-type crystal structure, and a composition represented by TiCxOyNz, wherein X, Y and Z satisfy the relations: 0.5?X?1.0; 0?Y?0.3; 0?Z?0.2; and 0.5?X+Y+Z?1.0.) The powder is produced by: dissolving an organic substance serving as a carbon source in a solvent to prepare a liquid, wherein the organic substance contains at least one OH or COOH group which is a functional group coordinatable to titanium of titanium alkoxide, and no element except C, H, N and O; mixing titanium alkoxide with the liquid to satisfy the following relation: 0.7???1.

Abstract: An electrostatic dissipative (ESD) article includes a body having a volume resistivity within a range between about 104 ohm-cm and about 1010 ohm-cm as measured at 23° C. and 500 V. The body also has a first phase including a nitride, a second phase including a carbide, and a third phase including an oxide material.

Abstract: In various embodiments, composite materials containing a ceramic matrix and a carbon nanotube-infused fiber material are described herein. Illustrative ceramic matrices include, for example, binary, ternary and quaternary metal or non-metal borides, oxides, nitrides and carbides. The ceramic matrix can also be a cement. The fiber materials can be continuous or chopped fibers and include, for example, glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers, ceramic fibers, organic fibers, silicon carbide fibers, boron carbide fibers, silicon nitride fibers and aluminum oxide fibers. The composite materials can further include a passivation layer overcoating at least the carbon nanotube-infused fiber material and, optionally, the plurality of carbon nanotubes. The fiber material can be distributed uniformly, non-uniformly or in a gradient manner in the ceramic matrix. Non-uniform distributions may be used to form impart different mechanical, electrical or thermal properties to different regions of the ceramic matrix.

Abstract: A tungsten carbide material for use in precision glass molding applications having 6.06-6.13 wt. % carbon, 0.20-0.55 wt. % grain growth inhibitor, less than 0.25 wt. % binder, less than 0.6% wt. % impurities, and balance being tungsten. The tungsten carbide material has a nominal grain size of less than 0.5 microns.

Abstract: Disclosed is a highly-pure fine titanium carbide powder having a maximum particle size of 100 nm or less and containing metals except titanium in an amount of 0.05 wt % or less and free carbon in an amount of 0.5 wt % or less. The powder has a NaCl-type crystal structure, and a composition represented by TiCxOyNz, wherein X, Y and Z satisfy the relations: 0.5?X?1.0; 0?Y?0.3; 0?Z?0.2; and 0.5?X+Y+Z?1.0.) The powder is produced by: dissolving an organic substance serving as a carbon source in a solvent to prepare a liquid, wherein the organic substance contains at least one OH or COOH group which is a functional group coordinatable to titanium of titanium alkoxide, and no element except C, H, N and O; mixing titanium alkoxide with the liquid to satisfy the following relation: 0.7???1.

Abstract: Ultrafine boron carbide particles with selected sintering aids are disclosed. The sintering aids may be provided inside the ultrafine boron carbide particles or on the surfaces thereof. When the ultrafine boron carbide particles and sintering aids are sintered, the resultant materials possess relatively high densities and relatively small boron carbide grain sizes.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method of locally colouring a part made of ceramic material of the metallic oxide type mainly including the following steps of taking a support for the part and a laser, able to move relative to each other in an XY plane, performing a plasma treatment of the part using a gas containing one element selected from among nitrogen an carbon, so as to convert a surface layer of metallic oxide, into a substantially stoichiometric ceramic chosen from among metal nitrides and carloides, locally illuminating the part with the laser beam so as to provide sufficient energy to cause a local change in colour by altering the stoichiometry of the surface layer, and scanning the surface of the part using the laser beam so as to form a determined pattern.

Abstract: A sintered cubic boron nitride (cBN) compact for use in a tool is obtained by sintering a mixture of (i) cubic boron nitride, (ii) aluminum oxide, (iii) one or more refractory metal compounds, and (iv) aluminum and/or one or more non-oxide aluminum compounds. The sintered bodies may have sufficient strength and toughness to be used as a tool material in solid, i.e. not carbide supported, form, and may be useful in heavy machining of cast irons.

Abstract: A cubic boron nitride sintered material where wear resistance is suppressed from decreasing having excellent chipping resistance and a cutting tool made thereof are provided. The sintered material is constituted from cubic boron nitride particles that are bound by a binder phase, while the binder phase contains a carbide of at least one kind of metal element selected from among metals of groups 4, 5 and 6 of the periodic table and a nitride of at least one kind of metal element selected from among metals of groups 4, 5 and 6 of the periodic table coexisting therein, and therefore the particles can be suppressed from coming off and the binder phase can be suppressed from wearing and coming off at the same time, thereby making the sintered material having high wear resistance and particularly excellent chipping resistance.

Abstract: Boron carbide ceramics produced by spark sintering methods have more desirable mechanical properties than conventionally produced carbides. The boron carbide ceramics include amorphous boron, amorphous carbon, and Al2O3 powder as a sintering aid. The boron carbides may also contain a carbon nano fiber in a nearly homogeneously dispersed state. The sintered compact has a relative density of a boron carbide ceramic of approximately not less than 99%. The boron carbide ceramics are prepared preferably by subjecting a mixed powder of the starting raw materials and the carbon nano fiber to simultaneous synthesis and sintering using the spark plasma sintering method.

Abstract: A composite material having utility for removing sulfur from a feedstock comprises a ceramic matrix having a relatively low melting point metal such as tin, zinc, lead or bismuth nanodispersed therein. The material may be prepared from a mixture of particles of a precursor of the ceramic matrix and precursor of the metal. The precursors are selected such that the melting point of the precursor of the ceramic is less than the melting point of the precursor of the metal. The mixture of precursor materials is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the precursor of the ceramic material so as to coat it onto the precursor of the metal. The ceramic precursor is then reacted so as to convert it to a ceramic. Thereafter, the precursor of the metal is converted to a free metal which is retained within the ceramic matrix so as to prevent agglomeration.

Abstract: A reaction bonded ceramic body that has 50% to 60%, by weight, boron carbide, and 20% to 30%, by weight, silicon carbide. The reaction bonded ceramic body has least a portion of the boron carbide reacted with silicon to become siliconized boron carbide. Also, a method of making a reaction bonded ceramic material. The method may include the steps of forming a green body from a mixture of boron carbide, carbon, and an organic binder, and contacting the green body with a liquid infiltrant comprising silicon. The infiltrant has a temperature of about 1625° C. to about 1700° C. Furthermore, a method of making a reaction bonded boron carbide ceramic body. The method includes the steps of forming a green body from a mixture of boron carbide, carbon, and an organic binder. The weight ratio of boron carbide to carbon in the green body may be about 5:5 to 1 or more.

Abstract: The crystal structure of three compositions of matter has been determined to be iso-structural with FeB ortho-rhombic (space group Pnma). The crystalline structures are: Ti0.5Ta0.5B, Zr0.5Ta0.5B and Hf0.5Ta0.5B. A process for preparing ceramics is disclosed. Molded ceramics including the compositions of matter are useful for applications such as rocket nozzles, leading edges on hypersonic missiles, engine parts and other applications requiring a structural component to operate at temperatures of 1600° C. to 2400° C.

Abstract: Boron carbide ceramics produced by spark sintering methods have more desirable mechanical properties than conventionally produced carbides. The boron carbide ceramics include amorphous boron, amorphous carbon, and Al2O3 powder as a sintering aid. The boron carbides may also contain a carbon nano fiber in a nearly homogeneously dispersed state. The sintered compact has a relative density of a boron carbide ceramic of approximately not less than 99%.

Abstract: A boron carbide body having a graphite content in which the central portion of the body includes more graphite that the region surrounding the central portion and adjacent the exterior surface thereof, and a method for fabricating the boron carbide body.

Abstract: The invention is for a polycrystalline diamond material comprising a first phase of bonded diamond particles and a second phase interspersed through the first phase. The second phase contains vanadium in the form of the metal or vanadium carbide or vanadium tungsten carbide or two or more of these forms and may be present in the polycrystalline diamond material in the range 1 to 8 percent by mass of the material.

Abstract: Mix which comprises a) one or more very finely divided silicon dioxide powders having an average particle diameter of from 2 to 100 nm and a BET surface area of at least 30 m2/g, b) one or more particulate components selected from the group consisting of oxides, carbides and nitrides, in each case having an average particle diameter of from >0.5 ?m to 30 mm, c) one or more synthetic resins as binders and d) one or more metallic antioxidants having an average particle diameter of from >0.5 to 250 ?m. Process for producing a shaped body, in which to the mix is introduced into a mould, pressed if appropriate and heated to a temperature at which the synthetic resin crosslinks thermally. Shaped body which can be obtained therefrom. Process for producing a refractory shaped body, in which the shaped body is carbonized. Refractory shaped body which can be obtained therefrom.